I had a large number of contacts yesterday giving me a heads up that they were trying to reach me and couldn’t. Tutanota appeared to be kicking back emails, leading to all kinds of follow-on questions. Long story short: by the email volume, Tutanota locked the account down for a bit because they thought my actual account was under attack. I was teaching my Fighting Kalashnikov course all weekend and did not have the time or patience to sit and answer emails until 1 am like I do most nights. When I say I get that many emails a day, I mean it.

Its both an honor and a privilege to be able to interact with you out there. Back in the day, a little over five years ago, I started all this to try to make a difference, what little bit I could, in creating the world I want to see. That begins with arming good people with knowledge. That said I’m also honored by the response I’ve received and in the ability to accomplish things I never dreamed way back in 2015. All of that is because of y’all out there.

Times are rough right now and the world doesn’t look so good. Many are scared and asking what their next steps to take should be. Something I’ve conveyed in the past and due to present circumstances I need to address again: Please read my past work before emailing me technical questions or asking ‘what should I buy’?

The last thing I want to do is sound arrogant or that your concerns don’t matter to me- they absolutely do. But I get a lot of these types of emails:

“Hi, I’m brand new. How do I get into ham radio?” I have a class for the basics of communications in an austere environment. Check the schedule. I have five years worth of content here, at American Partisan, and my podcast, Radio Contra. Read it, then ask.

“Hi, is a baofeng a good radio?” Sure. Its $20. Its great for $20, but its $20. Don’t expect a replacement for a cell phone.

“How much range do I get out of this piece of gear?” As I’ve stated in class and written to infinitum, it depends.

“So-and-so says XXXX, what do you think?” I dunno. I’m not so-and-so, I don’t talk out of my ass. What do you think?

“Hey, you’re having class at this location. Where should I stay?” Its called an area search. I’m a trainer, not a travel agent.

“Will you teach your course online or via zoom?” Nope. Real learning happens in person. Either make the trip to a class or not.

“I emailed you a day ago, you didn’t answer me within a day, now I’m going to be angry” This is how you don’t get a response at all. Before you email me you need to check my schedule, because I have a training course running pretty much every weekend. When I’m training, the students who hired me for knowledge get all of the focus, not you, because they paid for my time. You didn’t. And if you can’t be patient, sorry, not sorry.

On that note, I’m stretched extremely thin on my end. As concerned as you all are about the future, I share it tenfold and am doing all I can to get the maximum number of people trained as humanly possible, any way I can. I have this site as a repository of information, American Partisan and my podcast, Radio Contra. I do not have a staff or people I can delegate things to. Its literally me. And I have a family and responsibilities to them as well. Bottom line, I cannot continue to do what I do being swamped like this. I am doing the very best that I can do to give all of you all I can. Do the work on your end, meet me halfway.

People coming to class take the top priority. And last, I run a business, not a charity.